OVER $1 MILLION RAISED AT FIREAID BENEFIT CONCERT TO REBUILD LA
Over 16,000 homes and buildings were reduced to ash by last month's devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, leaving many families without a place to stay. With efforts like GoFundMe pages, free meal distributions, and even artistic contributions meant to aid those impacted, a wave of support surfaced in the wake of the incident. People came together to support LA's recovery efforts on January 30th with the FireAid benefit concert, which has already raised an amazing $1 million.
With more than 30 acts, the concert took place at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Dr. Dre, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder were among the performers who sang for the audience. Others, like comedian Billy Crystal, who lost his house in the fires, told their tales. Aurora Barboza Flores, a teacher at Glendale High School, was introduced by actress Quinta Brunson. She described how she had saved her ideal Altadena home for decades, only to have it destroyed in the fire.
A combination of ticket sales, merchandise sales, and sponsorships generated $1 million. The Eagles, U2, and music executive Irving Azoff and his wife Shelli also made generous private donations to FireAid. Additionally, all pledges made during the concert were generously matched by Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, and his spouse.
"We created history last night," FireAid posted on Instagram. Our sincere appreciation to the amazing artists who donated their time and skills to help us raise money for the people of Los Angeles. The crowd's enthusiasm, kindness, and love made this evening incredibly memorable.
All contributions will support long-term wildfire prevention in Southern California as well as immediate recovery efforts. By the middle of February, the first round of grants will be given out. According to an LA Clippers spokesperson, "the FireAid Grants Advisory Committee, made up of seasoned LA-region philanthropic leaders with strong ties in the non-profit community, have been working to identify key areas of need for maximum impact." "Under the direction of the Annenberg Foundation, the committee has been conducting research on how to handle other fire disasters, like those in Maui and Northern California, as well as listening to impacted communities daily and evaluating local resource gaps to make sure aid reaches those most in need."
